Haruno Sakura's Coffee Shop Adventures
by eb the chocolate buckaneer
Summary: [SasuSaku Oneshot] Sakura's POV. “Why Sasuke?” I asked mischievously, batting my eyelashes. “Do you want me to get on the table?” This caused Naruto to snort, and I knew that was his way of laughing. [First Oneshot, Please R&R!]


**Haruno Sakura's Sasuke-Filled Vanilla Hazelnut Coffee Shop Adventures**

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Naruto. If I did, then Naruto would surrender and give me all of his ramen!**

**coffeeCOFFEEcoffeeCOFFEEcoffeeCOFFEEcoffee**

It was actually quite funny, although I'd never admit it. Watching him scowl and twitter away from the groping hands and piggy voices. I knew he had a hard time with it. He couldn't even bother to tell them to go away. He didn't realize that ignoring them wasn't going to help him at all. It would just encourage them. I mean, he didn't tell them to go away, right? So they didn't have to.

I smirked as a hand reached out and grabbed his black umbrella. With another growl, he let go of the umbrella and broke out in a jog, heading for the door to the coffee shop, where I was sitting. He flung himself into the doorway, rabid fan girls close behind. He flipped the open sign to closed and locked the door. His eyes shifted away from the girls pressed against the glass windows to the people in the coffee shop. His eyes passed over me as if I wasn't really there and continued around the small café. Once satisfied with his surroundings, he proceeded to the counter to order a drink.

"Vanilla Hazelnut coffee please," He whispered to the employee. She stared uneasily at him for a second as she punched the order into her cash register. I could see her glancing at the entrance door.

"Four seventy-four, sir," She squeaked. She pressed her hat further onto her head and coughed intentionally. "Um, sir, do you mind if I unlock the door? By locking it, we aren't allowing other customers to come in and enj-"

"I'll unlock it when I leave," he replied, cutting her off and handing her a five dollar bill. She didn't bother to object and dropped the bill into the register.

"You're change is twenty-"

"Keep it," he cut her off once again, shoving the extra twenty-six cents into the tip jar. "I don't need it."

I almost laughed. Of course he didn't need it! That stupid shinobi had inherited more money than I would probably be able to save up in a lifetime. Once leaving the counter, he began searching for a place to sit. I was quite surprised when he started heading my way. Sure, I was his former teammate, but seeing me in a coffee shop didn't make it necessary for him to notice me. At least with his mental life math, it didn't. I sipped my coffee and took no shame in staring at him curiously as he plopped his drink on the table and sat down in the seat across from me. He nodded curtly and gulped down some coffee. I watched him for a moment more, waiting to see if, by some miracle, he would start a conversation.

Silence.

Expected.

I smiled as a greeting and returned to my papers. If Tsunade hadn't given me so much work, _I_ might have bothered to start a conversation. But seeing as how there was nothing extremely important to chat about, and I wasn't drooling over him anymore (or watching him from the window with my cheeks splayed out like a chipmunk, thank God) I probably saw as little reason to talk as he did, which was very unusual, seeing as how I liked to talk. A lot.

I read over the papers, bored of summary after summary about patients who had already been released. I groaned and muttered to myself. "Yeah, I know he has a learning disability, you told me three times!"

Sasuke must have heard me. "Hm?" He asked, staring at me in the middle of a sip. I looked up.

"What? Oh, uh, nothing. I was just talking to myself," I replied, mentally slapping myself for sounding like such an idiot. "Sorry." He nodded and turned to stare out the window. I once again returned to my reports. I wanted to take another sip of my drink, but there wasn't any left. "Damn…" I muttered. I dropped my pen and stood up, making my way to the counter.

I couldn't work on these papers without a support system. And coffee was that system. "Uh, just some plain coffee please," I asked the counter girl. My hands were cramped from all the writing I had been doing. "Extra sugar and cream," I added softly, not wanting to disturb the calm atmosphere of the café.

She pushed the cup in front of me. "Three ninety-five please." Damn. I needed to find a cheaper coffee shop. I dug my hand into my pocket, hoping to magically find some extra five dollar bill that I had forgotten to take out of my pocket when I washed these pants. No such luck. I groaned.

"Uh, I don't think I have…"

"You can't pay for the coffee?" She replied briskly, as if it was some major affair.

"No," I answered back, just as terse. "I'm just not sure if-"

"Here," Sasuke reached over my shoulder, shoving another four dollars onto the counter. "Keep the extra nickel." The employee was obviously stunned. After all the rich, handsome, shinobi Uchiha _did_ just pay for the poor, unorganized, kunoichi Haruno's drink.

I whipped around. "No Sasuke, you don't have to – I, I just found um…" He ignored my protests and picked my coffee up and walked back over to our table, as if daring me to follow him. I did. That was _my_ coffee after all. I sat down and stared at my cup, wondering if I was actually supposed to drink it or not. This annoyed him.

"Sakura. Drink it." There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I just had to do it. Because Sasuke bought it for me, and he wouldn't have wasted his money if he hadn't planned on me drinking it.

I half expected a punch line, but I grabbed the coffee anyways and gulped down some, claiming it mine. "Thanks," I whispered. And that was that. I returned to my paperwork and Sasuke stood up. He was leaving. I should have known. It wasn't like him to stay one place for more than ten minutes. He slid on his jacket and disregarded the fact that he no longer had an umbrella.

I considered offering him mine, but I knew he wouldn't take it. So I didn't. "Bye," I murmured, knowing I wouldn't get an answer. And he left, not forgetting to flip the closed sign back to open.

**coffeeCOFFEEcoffeeCOFFEEcoffeeCOFFEEcoffee**

I slammed the pages of the book closed. "No!" I screeched, my coffee slipping out of my grasp. "That is not real!" Naruto was already handing me a napkin.

"Told you you wouldn't believe it." I took the napkin and began tending to my spilt coffee. I scowled. How dare he make me drop my coffee. "I mean, I didn't really believe it at first, but then when I realized that if you had a cauldron thing, all you would need would be a really big fire, and you really could cook that much ramen!" He continued to blab, but I tuned him out.

Sure, I didn't really care how much ramen had been cooked in the world's records book, but it couldn't hurt to play along with Naruto's fetishes every once in a while. I was back at the shop, drinking coffee with Naruto and trying to listen to a conversation based solely on the yellow haired ninja's favorite kind of noodle. I stared down into my cup, making sure I still had some coffee left.

"And then, I started flipping through the pages… and guess what the world's record for most ramen consumed is?"

I shrugged and bit the edge of my plastic cup. "What?" I muffled through the styrofoam.

"5 pounds in two hours!" He snorted and leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. "Amateurs." I grinned and shook my head. I had already figured this out. Naruto's headstone would read, 'Death by Ramen.'

A small bell chimed throughout the shop, followed by ear shattering shrieks of, "Come date me Sasuke-kun!" and "SASUKE! I LOVE YOU! I'M THE PRESIDENT OF YOUR FAN CLUB!" and I swear I distinctly heard, "Oh Sasuke-kun… remember last Friday night?"

I burst out into hysterical laughter.

"What's so funny Sakura?" Naruto inquired curiously, hovering over my rattling form. I was practically doubled over, giggling. I knew this would earn me a glare from Sasuke, big time. I attempted to calm down before he saw me. Fat chance that he hadn't though. I was howling like a coyote.

"No-nothing Naru-" I was once again riddled with laughter.

"Get off the floor," Sasuke muttered, kicking me lightly with his toe. I breathed in sharply, clutching my coffee cup.

"Why Sasuke?" I asked mischievously, batting my eyelashes. "Do you want me to get on the table?" This caused Naruto to snort, and I knew that was his way of laughing. However, my other teammate didn't have such a great sense of humor. He glared at me, and for the first time I saw the cup of steaming hot coffee in his hands. No lid. And it was tipped dangerously in my direction. "Uh, Sasuke…" I continued, still on the floor scooting away from his target area. "What… what a lovely jacket you have there. Nice weather too…"

He advanced towards me, his grip loosening ever so slightly on the cup. "That's a nice jacket you're wearing too Sakura."

"Yes! Yes it is!" I gulped, my back pressed against the wall. "And it cost me a lot, so it would be…" The cup swerved like a car on the interstate, but no coffee spilled. "Think about what you're doing Sasuke! That's coffee!" I pointed at his cup, stating the obvious. "Hot coffee! Hot coffee burns!" He was standing right over me now, and his cup wiggled and tipped….

Right onto me.

"Oh Sasuke! How could you! I'm…" It wasn't hot. It was… cold. It was white. It was cream. It wasn't coffee. "I'm not burned."

He bent down next to me and smirked. "Hn." That meant something like…. 'I would never pour hot coffee on you. That's just stupid, because that could hurt you, and I never ever want to hurt you again Sakura.'

Ok, maybe it was actually more like, 'It's dumb to pour hot coffee on someone. Then you'd get sued.'

"Yeah, yeah, I get the point," I replied, grabbing the second napkin Naruto had handed me that day. I glared at Sasuke. "Well that's just great. Now I don't get burned, but I do have walk home. Soaked and freezing cold in the snow. Much better solution, thank you Sasuke."

He frowned. Not unusual for him, but this frown seemed… different. I know it sounds stupid, but it did. It wasn't the usual 'I'm angry and I'm going to kill you' frown. It was saying something else, but I couldn't read it. I sighed and dropped the damp napkin into the trash can.

"See you guys later." I headed towards the door.

But his voice stopped me. "Wait."

I turned around and waited for more, but it didn't come. "Wait what?" I asked, my head cocked. He walked closer and stared for a moment. He slipped his jacket off and held it out to me, offering it. "Then you'll get cold," I whispered, staring at his favorite coat. It was made out of worn black leather, the inside some sort of fleece.

He shrugged, shoving jacket closer. "My house is nearer."

I took it hesitantly, clutching it between my fingers, staring at him. I knew Naruto was watching in wide eyed wonder behind the Uchiha. "But…" I was looking for any reason to reject it. I didn't want to accept it. It would be like some sort of reminder. Of everything I couldn't have. "But what if I get forget to return it?"

"I've got other coat's Sakura." A simple reply. He was insistent, in his own 'I don't really care' kind of way. "Take it." It wasn't a question, or suggestion. It was an order.

"But this is your favorite Sasuke. You wear it all the time…"

"I have other coats," he repeated firmly. I had run out of excuses.

"Uh, ok, if- if you're sure…" I looked to him one last time for confirmation. He was sure. His stare alone could tell me that.

**coffeeCOFFEEcoffeeCOFFEEcoffeeCOFFEEcoffee**

"Lee…" I smiled sweetly. I think he almost fainted. "Look, this is really sweet and all, but I don't think you should get the wrong-"

"Oh my beautiful Sakura blossom! You have the power of the youth within you!" He punched the air with his fist, obviously feeling quite empowered. After an awkward silence (or at least it was an awkward silence in my opinion, seeing as how Rock Lee just stared at me with this funky, lopsided grin on his face) he sat back down.

I took a deep breath. Sure, Lee could be a little scary, especially with his eyebrows, but he really was a sweet guy, I just didn't like him… _like that._ I wish the same could be said for him about me. "Um, Lee, I really appreciate the flowers, and the movie, and the coffee, but I'm not going to go… on a second date with you." As soon as the words had been spit out, his face fell, and I felt extremely guilty. "Oh, Lee, please don't take it the wrong way!"

"How else am I supposed to take it, dear Sakura-chan? You… you do not love me as I love you!" And then perhaps the worst possible thing that could happen, happened. Rock Lee started to cry.

My eyes grew wide and I was by his side in seconds with a tissue. "Oh Lee, please don't cry! I just want to be friends ok? I just don't want to lead you on and hurt you even more, please understand."

He dabbed at his eyes. "But Sakura, what can hurt more than being rejecting by the one you love?"

I smiled knowingly and offered him his coffee. "Oh Lee, you don't love me." He stopped drinking abruptly and stared at me, his face frozen in shock.

"Fair Sakura, how can you say that? I love you with all my heart!" I frowned, clutching my cup tightly in my hands. I grew silent. Lee was confused. He didn't know what he had done wrong. He watched me intently.

"Lee, don't say that. You don't love me with all your heart. It's just a little crush. You'll get over it, trust me. And when you do, I hope that we can still be friends," I whispered gently. I wanted to end this conversation. I knew by the expression on his face that he didn't understand. "Look, Rock Lee… when you truly know what love is…" I smiled and bit my lip tartly. "It'll hurt more. Even when you're happy."

I sipped my coffee, but the green beast didn't reply. He was…staring at something. I turned around to follow his gaze.

Sasuke.

Sasuke had been standing behind me the whole time.

I frowned, chewing on my plastic cup. "How did you get in here without me hearing you Sasuke?" I glanced out the window to find no fan girls. I stared at him in shock. "You didn't hurt them did you?"

I grinned when a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "No. I just told them that if I didn't have some private time in the coffee shop, I might die." I giggled. "They all screamed and ran away, telling me they'd be back in an hour." He grabbed my cup. "So give me some coffee."

I watched him as he took a sip, knowing Lee would probably match his green jumpsuit soon, he was staring at us with such envy. "That was probably the longest thing you've ever said to me," I replied. Sasuke stopped downing my coffee, and stared at me.

Even the great Uchiha couldn't deny the truth.

**coffeeCOFFEEcoffeeCOFFEEcoffeeCOFFEEcoffee**

That day I realized that in the coffee shop was practically the only time I ever saw Sasuke.

It was lucky that we were both there practically every day, huh?

Unless of course we were on missions or something, which I had come to find he was gone a lot more than I was. I accepted the fact that I wasn't the most talented kunoichi on the field. It was ok though. I found the role of a medic much more to my liking anyways.

Today, since I wasn't on a mission, and Tsunade had given me the day off (which was highly unusual, she was in an extremely generous mood that morning), and I really had nothing else to occupy my time (which is really quite sad actually) I had brought plenty of money and was experimenting with different types of coffee.

I leaned on the counter, purposely annoying the counter girl. I had never liked her much. I stared at the menu, my fore-finger and my thumb colliding on the tip of my chin as I pretended to think deeply about what type of coffee to get. "What do you recommend?" I asked (as if I would take her suggestion anyways).

She sighed and smiled curtly. "Well, Ms. Haruno, as I told you before, I recommend the Boston Crème Pie Coffee, because the taste is very-"

I waved her off with a twitter of my hand. "Pshh, I don't really like pie! But I like coffee! SO, you should tell me which kind of COFFEE to get! Ok, because I want some coffee! You spell that C-O-F-F-E-E not P-I-E. Ok?"

I was on a coffee high.

She bit her lip and chewed on it, obviously fed up with me. She glanced back at the long line of customers behind me. "Ms. Haruno," She spit out my name in that bitchy business politician like way. "Would you like to consult with the manager so that I can tend to the other costumers?"

"NO!" I thought the answer was supposed to be obvious. "I just want you to tell me what kind of coffee to get!"

"Please ma'am, I think you should give the other people a chance to-"

"She'll have a Vanilla Hazelnut coffee please." How the hell did he always know when I was causing trouble?

"Hey Sasuke!" I waved enthusiastically, even though he wasn't even a foot away from me. "That's such a great idea! Vanilla Hazelnut coffee, I haven't had one of those yet today!" I turned back to the counter girl. "He has the greatest ideas, like this one time…"

"Make that two please," Sasuke added. He dropped the money on the counter and grabbed our coffees, pulling me along for the ride. "Where's your table?"

"It's that one!" I replied, pointing to my usual spot. The Uchiha stared in wonder at the piles of empty coffee cups. He turned back to me.

"How much coffee had you had?" I began giggling. And I couldn't stop.

Correction. I was on a coffee high and a drunken coffee rampage.

"Just a couple cups!" I snorted. He sighed and led my giggling form to the table. "Give me that Vanilla Hazelnut! I want to see if it's as good as the Java Estate stuff I had earlier! Come on!" He held it out of my reach for a second, not sure if he should give it to me, but he complied, I guess figuring it was the only way to shut me up.

"Sit down," he ordered me gently. I nodded as I downed the coffee. He set his cup on the other side and began carrying the old cups to the trash can.

"Mmm," I muttered as the warm liquid slid down the back of my throat. I decided Vanilla Hazelnut had to be the best coffee I'd tried all day. But… I'd finished my cup. I stared enviously at his full glass on the other side of the table. "Just a little sip," I murmured to myself, reaching out for the coffee.

He caught me. Damn.

His hand was wrapped tightly around my wrist, and he stared at me warningly. "No more coffee for you."

"But," I gathered all my breath into my throat. "SAAAASSSSUKEEEE! COOOMMMME OOONNN!" I was squealing like a spoiled little kid who'd just been refused chocolate.

Sasuke slapped his hand over my mouth so I couldn't shriek anymore. Everyone in the coffee shop was staring at us. I really couldn't blame them. I began wriggling, desperate to get a hold of that coffee on the table. But he reeled me in like a fish. Soon his arm was wrapped around my waist and my back was pressed firmly against his chest. He pushed me outside.

He made the horrendous mistake of taking his hand off my mouth. "Sasuke! I want that coffee you bastard! Give to me or I swear, you will pay!" The hand was back. "Mmm hmm phff sluckish fee! Fee!" I managed to scream underneath his fingers. I doubt he understood any of it though.

"Sakura! Shut up!" I was quiet. He glanced back in the window of the coffee shop. "I'm going to take you home now, and you're going to get some sleep, ok?"

I snorted. "Fleep?" How could I when I had practically inhaled twenty cups of coffee not five minutes ago? He sighed and the worry lines etched themselves into his forehead. What was he going to do with me? If he let me back into the coffee shop, I would probably kill that bitch behind the counter. If he let me off into town, I would probably go back to the coffee shop, murder the counter girl, and then destroy all of Konoha. If he took me home, I would probably kill myself like a butterfly trapped in a cage. He decided on the only thing he could.

"You're coming home with me Sakura."

Unexpected.

**coffeeCOFFEEcoffeeCOFFEEcoffeeCOFFEEcoffee**

I hadn't even taken a sip. He'd bought me the most expensive coffee on the menu and I hadn't even taken a sip. I just stared down at the brown swirling liquid, steam rising off of it and blasting into my face. I just stirred it with one of those stupid mixing straws, but I wouldn't drink it.

I couldn't.

He stared at me with such frustration I was afraid he might kill me with his styrofoam cup. "Is there something wrong Sakura?"

I glanced up quickly, surprised at his inquiry. "No. I just don't want to drink too much coffee like I did last…" I coughed slightly. "Last night. Ya' know?" He grunted but didn't bother to offer the fact that last night I was only hyper because I had probably broken the world's record of most coffee consumed in an hour. He just nodded with this unreadable expression on his face.

I felt like drinking this coffee would be a sin. Just because he'd bought it for me. And I didn't have to run out of money first. I pulled the straw out of my drink and raised the tip tentatively to my lips, finally slurping the single droplet left on the end. It was good coffee…

I dropped the plastic mixer onto the table and debating whether or not to take the step up to a whole sip. It was coffee. And I did have to work later. And I hadn't gotten any sleep last night. I sighed and raised the cup. I sniffed that wonderful smell of hot coffee. It was so tempting. And so…

Wrong.

I put the cup back on the table.

I bit my lip and glanced at the clock, silently searching for an excuse to leave. It was ten o' one and I didn't have to work till five-thirty. Training. I hadn't trained any since… yesterday. Still, it seemed like my only escape route. "Oh - geez!" I gasped, feigning surprise.

Sasuke looked up, obviously a little uncomfortable with my outburst.

"Sorry to cut this short Sasuke, but I really should get some training in. I have this new-" I cleared my throat and rubbed my hands together. I really wasn't the best liar. "This new, um, technique I need to learn. Thanks for the coffee," I finished, grabbing a lid for my cup and heading towards the door. I stopped and glanced back at the confused Uchiha. "And for um… last night."

I struggled out the door and walked to the outside trash can. I dumped my expensive coffee in and took a quick look back into the café. Sasuke was staring at me like a deer in headlights. I grimaced. I immediately felt guilty for chucking the coffee. But it was too late now, I decided, glancing at the coffee stained trash can. I nodded at him, as if nothing had happened, and hurried off.

In the opposite direction of the training grounds.

**coffeeCOFFEEcoffeeCOFFEEcoffeeCOFFEEcoffee**

I stared in frustration at the door to the coffee shop. I wanted to go. Really badly. But…

But he was in there.

He hadn't spoken to me since the day I trashed the coffee he'd bought for me, and I had made absolutely to effort to get him to say something to me.

I needed some coffee though. I was in desperate need. I considered finding another coffee shop, but quickly dismissed the idea, seeing as how I needed to get to work in an hour and it would take me at least three to search all of Konoha for another café.

Maybe I could just… walk in casually, like… like a model. No, bad example… Like a cat. Or I could run away. Or I could stand still. All three were fabulous options, but only one would lead me to the coffee. I groaned. Why did life have to be so damn hard?

I took a deep breath and tried to make what I hoped was a casual, carefree stance. My lips were straight and my eyes half-closed. My whole body was shifted slightly to one side, as if I had a really heavy suitcase in one hand. I flipped back my pink hair and reached out for the coffee shop knob.

One.

Two.

Three.

POW!

"Ouch…" I muttered, rubbing my forehead. Damn its obnoxious largeness. I looked up.

Sasuke.

"Um… I- I was just…" I stuttered, finding no words to complete my non-existent train of thought. He stared down at me, like he's always, only this time it was meant literally, and he didn't look as… cold.

He wasn't actually looking down on me; I mean he was, just not… like that.

You see, when we where genin, he would've glared, said something like, "Watch where you're going baka," and brushed past me. But instead…

He bent down and stared at me softly, his eyes traveling over me to make sure I wasn't hurt. "You ok?" he asked gently, placing his hand on my shoulder. I nodded and lowered my fingers from my forehead. We stared. After a moment, he leaned in, so his forehead was pressed against mine. "You ok?" He asked again, as if he needed another answer. So he could feel useful, and help me.

I almost smiled. "Maybe."

"I'm… sorry," he said hesitantly, his face wavering for a second.

I nodded. "I know."

"I shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that," he whispered, his onyx eyes boring lightly into my green ones. "I just didn't think…"

I nodded again. "I know."

"Ok," he replied, shifting away from me. He stood up, his hand stretched down to offer assistance. I gripped it and he pulled me up.

More staring. "So…" Neither of us knew what to say.

"Coffee?" Sasuke suggested, glancing back at the coffee shop.

"Vanilla Hazelnut…" I whispered. He smiled and tilted towards me, his lips brushing against mine.

"If that's what you want," he murmured quietly. My head nodded against his.

"Yeah. That's what I want," I answered.

"Ok," he muttered, his lips pressing gingerly onto mine.

Coffee… Sometimes I reckoned it saved my life. Sometimes I think it saved his… and I sometimes I think it just… it brought us together.

**coffeeCOFFEEcoffeeCOFFEEcoffeeCOFFEEcoffee**

**Ha, my first oneshot! And it's about… coffee. It's strange because I'm not that much of a coffee fan. Although, if I did have to drink it, I would drink Vanilla Hazelnut coffee, because that's stuff is pretty good. **

**If you didn't understand those last two parts at the end. You see, Sakura got hyper, and Sasuke took her home and... took advantage of her. In the way that guys are known to take advantage of girls, you know? **

**Sorry if I made any grammer or spelling mistakes. I reread it a once, but knowing me I probably missed some mistakes, so please ignore them.**

**So, I know the ending is cheesy, but I needed a closer and that's all I could whip up. Take pity on me and review! Pretty please with chocolate laxatives on top! Heehee! **

**Guess that's all for now! **

**Come on. You _know_ you want to review. Or even if you don't. You should. **

**eb. **


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